I backed away slowly, watching with a panicked look as Jasper approached me.
He had a tiny frown on his forehead.He regards me from head to toe. Checking out my outfit.I've never had to wear something as expensive and exposing as this. No occasion prompted me to afford such piece, not even my extravagant 17th birthday party.I couldn't afford it nor could I afford the Jimmy Choo heels I wore to compliment the dress.Jasper wasn't stupid. Though, he knew nothing about fashion but, at least, he knew I should be in Chelsea, not several miles away. He knew I shouldn't be in an expensive restaurant and in this expensive outfit, doing God-knows-what.I swallowed hard.“What are you doing here? Is Elijah here?”His frown deepened as his gaze sweeps around the restaurant, expecting to see Elijah somewhere.I panicked, my brain doing a quick analysis of a lie I could come up with.Something that would ease me out of this mess, effortlessly.But, I came up with none except the one lie that slips through my lips:“A friend. I'm here with a friend.”Heaven knows the only friend I have is Valerie. In eighteen years of my life, I've only hung out with Valerie and Isobel.But, I want to believe Jasper would be too busy with work and his personal life to realize that. Surely, Elijah wouldn't have blabbered that to him somehow.A bile built in my throat when his frown grows deep, as if he wasn't buying my lie.For one thing, Jasper was the nosy type. And I remembered teasing him about that countless times because it suits his job description well.A nosy FBI Agent who would stop at nothing to satisfy his curiosity.Right. Jasper doesn't stop until he satisfied his suspicion and something tells me that he finds this situation rather suspicious.“Brielle, you are miles away from home. What kind of friend asks to meet that far away?”That tone. It's not a tone of concern or worry. He is just being nosy and invasive.I can't even lash out at me and tell him to mind his business. Its something I've never done before, it's something no situation had warranted I did. So, it would be absolutely weird if I did it now when all he wanted to know was what I was doing in an expensive restaurant, far away from home.“I—”The words dies in my mouth when a certain bald head comes into view, emerging from the corner he disappeared into, a salvet paper pack in his hand.I stiffened.What if he blabber to Jasper about who I was? Oh God!Instead of plotting an impossible mission of escaping Ace Reynolds, I should have taken that time in explaining to Elijah.I nibbled at my lips nervously immediately the bald head man approached us, standing beside me.He extends the pack of Salvet papers to me and I take it with trembling hands.“He is an old friend. He was held by work here so, he suggested I come by.”I managed to keep my voice steady. Normal.My eyes dances around Jasper’s feature for a sign of doubt. When his frown settles, I released an inaudible sigh of relief.Who knew that little details could be the one to convince him.Now, onto Mr bald man.I was hoping to get him away from Jasper, explain the situation to him and have him swear to sealing his lips about who I was. But, not when Jasper was already turning to him, his hand finding the gun holster by his waist and holding it in place.Wait, why was he here? In his work uniform, by the way.“We’ve discussed this, Mr Landon. There is no one here.”Mr bald man suddenly had his face wrinkled in a huge, disturbed expression.If Jasper was on duty, that means he was here on a search warrant. Why?“Exactly what I wanted to believe until I saw her.”His chin jabbed towards me and I become stiff again.“She is the only one here,” Mr baldy takes a brief pause. “With her friend.”My head snapped to him, eyes popped and jaw dropped.Did he just lie on my behalf? I was sure I heard Ace introducing me to him as his wife, why would he then say I was a friend?Something is fishy.“Exactly. A friend. What friend reserves a whole five star restaurant?”Jasper suddenly turns to me, that knowing smirk planted on the same down-turned shaped lips he shared with Elijah.“Brielle, please can I know what job this friend of yours does? Certainly, no normal person would afford to book a five-star restaurant in one piece.”Damn!I swallowed hard. Before I could come up with a response to his interrogation - not that I could think of any at the moment - Mr baldy stepped before me as if protecting me from Jasper, glaring daggers at Jasper.“He is an old friend and he has asked me for a favour to let him use the restaurant since he there wasn't any other Italian restaurant in the area. It was a favour, Landon.”The atmosphere shifted, feeling tensed and rigid all of a sudden.“So, what are you afraid of, Mr D’tuelle? Why don't you let us do our job if there is really nothing you are hiding?”Jasper probbed, stubbornly.“There is nothing here, Landon. Take your men and leave before I do something you’d hate.”Standing behind Mr Baldy, I just watched the scene growing even more intense.I fixed the puzzle. Jasper was here on a crime search warrant, obviously on duty, in search of a criminal, probably disclosed by an insider or a tracking device.Wait. A criminal?I paused. I frowned. Then, it hit me.Ace Reynolds!Christ!“I-I need to go back.”I informed in a haste. But, none of them pays attention as I slipped away, both immersed in the arguments of whether or whether not Jasper should search the restaurant.I scrambled into the opposite direction, heading for the elevator with shaky legs.The Feds are here for Ace Reynolds.Oh my God.The moment I dashed into the room, almost stumbling on my heels, I walk up to Ace who was seated, devouring his meal.My breath is shaky and my palm, sweaty. I rub them together, trying to calm myself. If Jasper finds Ace… with me. Fuck no!Immediately Ace notices me, he frowns, shuffling to his feet.He looked really appealing in his Wine tux three piece suit.He approached me, worry darkening his gaze.“Are you okay?”Hell no!“I-I-I”Suddenly, I lost the ability to come up with words, my lips quivering.“Hey, hey, hey,” Ace holds my face in his palm, stroking my cheeks softly.His gaze. There was something about the way he looked at me. It made me feel wanted. Needed. Lusted after. It made me feel butterflies at the pit of my stomach.Even now, in this panicked hour, I turn to a piece of jelly beneath his scrutinizing gaze.“You are safe, baby. You are safe.”I tried to steady my breath as Ace hold me closer to him, his hood briefly coming in contact with my belly.I stifled a gasp.“Now, take a deep breath, and speak to me.”I inhaled sharply, puffing out on his chest. Christ. I feel so small with Ace Reynolds. The height was not enough, the towering over me, he just had to be as intimidating.“I-I met Jasper. He is Elijah’s brother and works for the Feds. I think he is looking for you. We need to leave, Ace.”His name somehow felt foreign in my mouth. Illegal. Like, I've gone out of the line.“The feds?”His gaze stays expressionless like I hadn't just told him that he was dangerously close to getting captured and exposed for his crimes. He looked too unbothered that it increased the race of my heart.Is it a bad thing or a good thing?“What are you doing, Ace? Call your boys or something? We need to leave before Jasper sees us!”He says nothing, unmoving, his gaze pinning mine. Then, a hint of frown accompanied with doubt touches his face.Wait, was he suspecting me?“No, Ace! I swear! I didn't call him here.”Ace continue watching me, not buying my defense.Shit!I pictured the way he casually took out a gun from his holster last night and shot Luke right on his leg. I shuddered in fear, looking at that same spot for an hint of gun. Of course, he had a gun!He is a freaking gangster!“Ace, believe me, please. I don't even recall the day we last spoke.”Last week Friday. But, I needed an alibi. Something to convince him.There was an escape for betraying Jasper and Elijah but, there was none for betraying Ace. There was nowhere to run. Nobody to turn to.Even if I dug a hole and crawl into it, Ace would fish me out.“Come on, Ace! I've not left your side since we left home and I've not being with a cellphone.”I pleaded desperately, ignoring how irritation swells in my stomach when I made mention of “home”.My pleading and protest was a futile attempt when Ace gaze darkens, glued on me, intense and rummaging.Suddenly, a smile spreads his face.Ace Reynolds actually smiled. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. All shades of beautiful.He fucking grinned, like showing his white set of teeth.At me.Oh my God.“Of course, I know you didn't. I was pulling your legs. But, damn I want to do that again.” His delicate fingers takes a strand of hair that had fallen out of the outstanding ponytail the saucy lady helped me style, tucking it behind my ear. “You are so cute, Brielle.”I gulped down a bile.“Seriously, Brielle, don't ever think anything would make me point a gun at you and pull the trigger.” He takes my face in his palm again, the coldness of his knuckle rings turning me into pieces of vegetables.“Over my dead body will I hurt you.”Whoa.“I'm to protect you and make sure no one touches a strand of your hair. I need you to bury that idea of me ever hurting you, okay?”I stay frozen, staring at him like he grew a second head.“Tell me you understand.”I nodded, slowly. In awe of his sudden confession.“Good.”Ace abruptly bends over, planting a lingering kiss on my lips. He doesn’t move his lips against mine. It stayed planted. Glued to a spot.Carried away by the delicacy of his lips, my hand finds the hem of his suit, tugging at it, inviting him for more.“What the hell?”A familiar voice rang through the room.Turning around, my heart leaps to my throat when I make eye contact with Jasper who was lingering by the entrance, watching us in horror.Ace stepped before me protectively, keeping me out of Jasper’s reach as he sauntered into the room.Jasper now had his gun removed out of his holster, steady in his tight grip.I shivered.Jasper just caught me kissing not just anybody but, a criminal. The man he intended to put behind the bars.“Wow. What a pleasant surprise, Brielle. Does Elijah knows you are fucking a murderer?”Murderer. The words he had used in describing Ace even terrified me more. But, how was he right. Ace Reynolds was indeed a murderer. I'm sure the number of the people he had murdered was twice my age.And, I was married to him. I was the wife to a man who rendered a lot of people motherless, fatherless, childless, and even orphan. I let him kiss me. Irritation stirred a bile in my throat.“Maybe I should do you a favor and let him know.”Jasper fished out his phone, placing his gun in his other hand, steadily. Panic rose in my throat. No. Hell no!“Jasper, I—”“Leave, Brielle.”The command burst through A
“Brielle Wallace, do you take Ace Reynolds to be your lawfully wedded husband?”The priest inquired gently, his gaze and every other gaze in the cathedral, including the cold one in front of me, settled on me, anticipating that I replied with a “yes”.Maybe they all expected I smiled along with my answer, which was so ridiculous considering no one thought I would be asked this silly question until a few minutes earlier.I was dressed to be the bridesmaid, not the bride. I wasn't supposed to be the bride, my sister was. This wasn't my fate, it was my sister’s. When I was very young, my mother always read this bedtime story to me. It was about a princess who got her fate swapped with a river goddess by merely standing by the riverside.I always thought it was a ridiculous story because I didn't believe such a crucial thing as one’s fate could be swapped in a split second. Now, I understood.Indeed, it was possible. It was feasible because it just happened to me.All my dreams of final
He kissed and kissed. He didn't stop. When I thought he would stop, he didn't.His lips were soft on mine. Hot, urgent, and hungry.Why would he kiss me in this manner? He seems to be enjoying it. Ace cupped my cheek, his thumb caressing it gently as he intensified his kiss.My legs turned to a piece of jelly. My trembling hands doing nothing but, resting my hand on his hard rock chest in an attempt to pry him off. Why is he doing this? Why is he kissing me like he wants me? Why did he say what he said earlier? What did he mean?I shuddered in fear hoping all of these is over soon.Finally, he breaks the kiss. He broke the kiss but, his face was still dangerously close to mine. I try not to stare into his eyes but, he takes my chin in his delicate fingers and shoves my face up, forcing me to look at him.And when I did, I melted underneath that gaze. It was the brightest shade of blue I had ever seen. Menacing yet, intoxicating.“Congrats on this new phase.”He whispered to me, plant
But, why would he take Isobel? It made absolutely no sense. He probably was the one who asked her to marry him. Why would he do that and then proceed to abduct her on their wedding day?I instantly made it to the party, not bothering to ask questions I didn't have answers to. Scrambling through the crowd, I searched for Mom or Dad desperately. They need to know that man had taken Isobel and so help me God I see one of them before Ace does.As soon as I sight Mom in the crowd, sipping champagne and staring into space, I breathed a relieved sigh.I walked up to her with steps of desperation. Immediately Mom noticed me, she frowned, settling her flute of champagne on the tray of a server who sweeps past her at that time.“Honey, where did you go again? Harper went to pay a visit to you and your husband but, you weren't—”“Mom please!” I cut in. “For the love of God, can you stop calling that man my husband? It's just a stand-in, remember?”Mom looked taken aback with the way I had snapp
I let the night breeze brush my pale skin as I peered out the window of the black SUV.The breeze was chilly against my skin but, nothing could be more chilly than the thought of starting a home with Ace.Becoming his wife.Ace Reynolds took a different car. A Rolls-Royce Sweptail driving closely behind us.I supposed I should be relieved that we weren't sharing the same breathing space at the moment and I was but, whenever I peered back and caught a glimpse of the Rolls-Royce behind us, I felt my stomach twist in anxiety.It even felt worse.It felt like I was being watched. I was under the watch of the most ruthless man I know.He wasn’t with me in the car but, his presence wasn't missed either. I felt it. Closely. Like he never left.Ace Reynolds had grabbed my wrist forcefully and pulled me out of the party before I had time to protest - which I wasn't even planning to do.However, when I saw my mother watch me as I got pulled out by Ace Reynolds, a proud smile touching her lips as
“Hey. What's the problem?”Luke asked, a tiny frown planted on his forehead.“Can you lend me your phone real quick, please?”My voice came out urgent and unsteady.“Brielle, you don't look good. What's happening?”When Ace began to make it into the cafè, closer to me, searching every corner with his hard gaze, I fisted Luke’s work Tshirt violently.He flinched at my sudden move but, I didn't care to apologize. I was on the brink of doom.“Just give me the damn phone!”Luke brought out his phone and handed it over to me. I grabbed it with trembling hands.“Brielle, if you need me to—”“I'm fine!”I snapped at Luke, scrambling to find a hiding place to call Valerie.A water dispenser stood at the rounding of a corner and I quickly went there to hide, moving away from Luke.I bit my finger as I waited for her response to the call. On the fourth ring, she picked.“God, Val! Where are you? I'm at your workplace!”“Brielle? I called in sick today. What's wrong?”Fucking hell!She started sp
Waiting for the year I finally turn eighteen and finally getting the chance to do anything of my will such as; having sex and breezing in and out of a bar as much as I wanted, was indeed a long torture of wait.I had plans with Elijah. Sexual plans. I wanted to try the sexual things my peers discussed amongst themselves.There were so many of them. Blowjobs, fingering, tongue-fucking, and all of that. And only with Elijah and Elijah alone.However, Ace had snatched all of that reality out of my firm grip. I had lost it, the possibility of it ever happening drifting away.I couldn't believe that just a day in my life could change my fate so drastically like that and rid me of my long-life dreams.Life is so funny.Once we crossed the border of Brookline, I let yet another tear slip down my face, followed immediately by others.Ace, stationed next to the wheels and driving along Brookline highway, passed a handkerchief to me.I now sat in the passenger’s seat of Ace’s Rolls-Royce, the s
My trembling fingers tugged at the hem of my dress nervously, contemplating on adhering to his command and let him take my virginity or, try for an escape. The only escape route was the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the beautiful views of Brookline skyscrapers. And, the only way I could make an escape through that was by crashing into the window and landing on the ground floor below, which could result in a broken spine, a damaged brain, or even a demise. The door entrance wasn't an option either. It would be stupid to try for an escape through that. This was his house and he surely knew his house by every length and breadth. He would effortlessly fish me out of any corner I hide in seconds. My eyes watered. I had lost count of the number of times I cried today alone. Ace’s puzzled frown knocked me back to my senses and I realized I had been keeping him waiting. I also realized something else - the wine, silky nighties he was extending to me. “You can change into this.” I